Whether it was rock, pop or rap, it all sucked in ’07

By Simon McCormack

10) Reel Big Fish

If it makes Reel Big Fish happy to cling to the dream of a third-wave ska revolution, then more power to them. Still, making ska for the sake of keeping the genre alive doesn't produce the best results. Even though their songs are still upbeat as ever, I can't help but think there were some tears shed behind the scenes for a genre that once was.

Party-pop is not easy to make and De Novo Dahl's new album proves it. Like its title suggests, Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound tries to do too many things, attempting to combine bluegrass, alt.rock, electro, psychedelia and power-pop into a small, sugary dose of medicine that's too jagged to swallow. When the band meshes a couple of said genres instead of cramming them all in, there are some successful moments on the record. But too often, De Novo Dahl is in the midst of an identity crisis that a pop backdrop can't cope with. (SM)

¡Mayday! • Demrick • DJ Stigmata • Septicemia Records • rap, hip-hop

By Adam Wood

I’m not sure that the concept of “genre” is really relevant anymore in the realm of music. The days of “pure” music are long gone, and while this might leave some “old-heads” grumbling over message boards about the loss of “real rap” or “real jazz,” I think that for the most part this is a good thing. The possibilities are more abundant than ever before as artists dip their fingers in any number of genres and traditions. ¡MAYDAY! is one group embracing this diversity in their quest for success…